Like tentacles, the cold consciousness swept cautiously through the woodshed, finally resting on Lin Xuan, scrutinizing and probing him. Lin Xuan immediately restrained his aura, suppressing the fluctuations in his cultivation to the sixth level of Qi Refining. The spiritual energy of the Nine Deaths Nirvana Sutra within him subsided, faking the appearance of deep breathing meditation.
The person outside the door seemed unaware of the abnormality. After lingering for a few breaths, the consciousness receded like the tide, and the gentle footsteps gradually faded into the night.
Lin Xuan slowly opened his eyes, a cold glint in them. The spy's consciousness was powerful, at least at the Foundation Establishment stage, and his aura was chilling, clearly not a good person. Was Zhao Kun still scheming, sending someone to investigate? Or... had his performance today been too dazzling, attracting the attention of some unknown force?
His vigilance grew even stronger. This Qingyang Sect was far more complex than he had imagined.
The next few days were uneventful. As news of Lin Xuan's victory as the Outer Sect leader continued to spread, the dilapidated woodshed where he was now located was unusually deserted, forming a seemingly invisible forbidden zone. He relished the quiet, daily consolidating his cultivation by taking Qi Gathering Pills and refining spirit stones, steadily advancing towards the seventh level of Qi Refining.
Under his guidance and resources, Zhang Xiaoshan's cultivation also improved significantly, and he became even more devoted to Lin Xuan.
One day, Lin Xuan decided to visit the sect's market, exchanging some of his spoils for materials for refining simple talismans and a basic book, "An Introduction to Talismans." He needed more tools to diversify his tactics, and talismans were undoubtedly a good choice, offering both concealment and remarkable effectiveness in crucial moments.
The sect's market, located at the junction of the Inner and Outer Sects, was bustling with people and lined with stalls selling elixirs, magical instruments, talismans, materials, and other cultivation supplies. While not comparable to a large cultivation city, it was still a dazzling array of goods.
Lin Xuan weaved through the crowd, his gaze sweeping across the stalls. His goal was clear, and he quickly exchanged ten low-grade spirit stones for a small stack of blank talisman paper, a box of spirit ink made from the blood of a low-level demon beast, and the book "An Initial Explanation of Talismans."
Just as he was about to leave, a familiar yet arrogant voice echoed from the front.
"Get out of the way! A good dog doesn't block the road!"
The crowd was roughly pushed aside, and Zhao Hu, accompanied by two newly recruited henchmen, swaggered over. His arm, broken by Lin Xuan, seemed to have healed after the application of some fine elixir, and his complexion had rosier hues, though the venom in his eyes was even stronger than before.
He had clearly noticed Lin Xuan, and was taken aback for a moment, then a flicker of fear crossed his face, quickly replaced by a fearless, ferocious expression. Instead of taking a detour, he walked straight towards Lin Xuan, stopped in front of him, and said sarcastically:
"Oh, who was that? Turns out it's our outer sect leader, the master Lin! Why aren't you hiding away in your kennel practicing instead of wandering around?"
Lin Xuan frowned slightly, unwilling to tangle with this clown any further, and turned aside to leave.
"Stop!" Zhao Hu took a sudden step forward, blocking the way. His voice rose, drawing the attention of passersby. "Lin Xuan! Don't think you're so great just because you won a small competition! I'm telling you, this isn't over!"
Lin Xuan stopped and looked at him coldly. "What do you want?"
"What?" Zhao Hu sneered. He pulled out a longan-sized, crimson pill with a faint glow of fire from its surface, and proudly waved it. "See? 'Explosive Flame Pill'! My uncle spent a fortune getting it for me! After taking it, it instantly boosts my spiritual power to the point of reaching the eighth level of Qi Refining!"
He raised his voice so that everyone around him could hear: "Lin Xuan! Do you dare to fight me in the ring again? This time, I'll take back the humiliation you've inflicted on me, with interest, in front of everyone! If you're a man, don't hide!"
A flurry of discussion erupted.
"Explosive Flame Pill? That's a banned drug! While it can temporarily boost strength, it's extremely damaging to the meridians!"
"Is Zhao Hu crazy? He's even throwing away his foundation for revenge?"
"It seems he's intimidated by Lin Xuan's defeat and is looking to use the pill to wreak havoc."
"Lin Xuan just finished a small competition; he wouldn't accept such a clearly disadvantageous challenge, right?"
Everyone assumed Lin Xuan would refuse. After all, the Explosive Flame Pill was renowned, and after taking it, Zhao Hu could indeed briefly possess the destructive power of an eighth-level Qi Refining cultivator. Moreover, such a challenge was pointless; winning would be dishonorable, and losing would be even more humiliating.
However, Lin Xuan's gaze swept over the crimson pill in Zhao Hu's hand, then took in the mad, yet slightly bravado-tinged look in his eyes, and a thought struck him.
He sensed that, while Zhao Hu's aura was stronger than before, his foundation was weak, clearly forced by the pill. Furthermore, his hand, holding the Explosive Flame Pill, trembled slightly, and a hint of fear lingered in his eyes.
He was afraid! He had no desire to consume this elixir, which would harm the enemy by a thousand and harm himself by eight hundred. He was simply gambling. He was betting that Lin Xuan would be wary of the Explosive Flame Pill's power and not dare to accept the challenge. Or, even if he did, he could use the pill's intimidating power to force Lin Xuan to surrender and save face.
Thinking this through, a cold smile curled up Lin Xuan's lips.
"Since you're determined to get a fight, I'll grant your wish," he said calmly, his voice clearly echoing around them. "Ring, now."
What?!
Everyone was stunned, including Zhao Hu himself! He hadn't expected Lin Xuan to actually agree! And so straightforwardly!
The smirk on Zhao Hu's face froze, replaced by a hint of panic: "You... you really dare to accept?"
"Lead the way," Lin Xuan's tone was undeniable.
The arrow was on the string, and it had to be released. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Zhao Hu was in a difficult position. He gritted his teeth, a ruthless look flashing in his eyes: "Alright! You asked for this! Let's go!"
The group marched towards the martial arts arena in a mighty procession. Word spread like wildfire, and a large number of disciples flocked to the arena, surrounding it completely. Even some inner disciples were alarmed.
On the arena, Zhao Hu watched the composed Lin Xuan across from him, his heart growing increasingly uncertain. He suddenly stuffed the Explosive Flame Pill into his mouth!
"Gudong!"
As the pill entered his stomach, a surge of violent, blazing energy instantly exploded within him! Zhao Hu's face instantly turned crimson, veins bulging, and his aura soared at a visible rate. In the blink of an eye, he broke through the seventh level of Qi Refining and reached the eighth, even faintly touching the edge of the ninth!
"Hahaha! Power! This is power!" Zhao Hu felt the surge of energy within him. His previous fear vanished, replaced by immense confidence and madness. He smirked at Lin Xuan, "Lin Xuan! Prepare to die!"
He slammed his feet against the ring, cracking the bluestone. Like a cannonball, he launched a powerful punch towards Lin Xuan, carrying a wave of scorching air! The force of this punch was far more violent than Zhao Long's "Mountain Collapse Fist" during the competition. The air distorted and exploded as the blow passed through!
Faced with this earth-shattering blow, Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly. He could sense the raging spiritual energy within it; it truly reached the peak of the eighth level of Qi Refining. Taking it head-on was unwise.
His steps shifted, combining the powerful physique and exquisite movement skills of the "Nine Deaths Nirvana Art" to form a ghostly retreat. His hands traced mysterious paths in front of him, the unique deadly spiritual energy within him waiting to be unleashed.
"Boom!"
Zhao Hu's punch missed, its ferocious force slamming into the arena's protective shield, sending ripples surging.
"Hide? I wonder how long you can hide!" Zhao Hu, like a mad tiger, unleashed punches and kicks like a violent storm. Crimson spiritual energy ravaged the arena, sending the temperature soaring.
Lin Xuan, like a reef amidst the raging waves, seemingly surrounded by danger, always dodging attacks by the tiniest hair at the crucial moment. He watched, waited. The Explosive Flame Pill, while potent, was bound to be short-lived and would place a heavy strain on the user.
Sure enough, after dozens of blows, Zhao Hu's offensive remained fierce, but his aura began to waver. His face flushed crimson, sweat streamed like a stream, and the madness in his eyes gradually gave way to a hint of pain. The drug's backlash had begun!
Now!
A gleam of light flashed in Lin Xuan's eyes, and he, who had been on the defensive, suddenly erupted! He stopped dodging and met Zhao Hu's incoming punch with a single blow!
However, this one wasn't a head-on collision. Midway through his attack, he jerked his wrist, transforming it into a palm. His five fingers, like iron hooks, grasped Zhao Hu's wrist with uncanny precision! Simultaneously, his body slid in close like a swimming fish. With his other hand, fingers interlocked like swords, condensing a deadly spiritual force. With lightning speed, he directed his blows at Zhao Hu's Jiquan acupoint under his armpit, Tanzhong acupoint on his chest, and Qihai acupoint on his lower abdomen!
"Puff! Puff! Puff!"
Three soft sounds echoed almost simultaneously!
The violent crimson spiritual light surrounding Zhao Hu dissipated like a popped balloon! His charging figure froze, the frantic expression on his face frozen, replaced by an expression of utter agony and horror!
"Wow!"
He opened his mouth and spat out a large mouthful of blood, even streaked with fragments of internal organs! The backlash from the Explosive Flame Pill, combined with Lin Xuan's precise strike to the vitals, instantly inflicted severe damage!
Lin Xuan swung the hand holding Zhao Hu's wrist, sending his massive body flying like a sack. He slammed heavily into the protective shield at the edge of the ring, then slid softly to the ground, unconscious, his breath utterly weakened.
A deathly silence fell upon the entire arena once again.
Victory!
And such a clean and decisive victory!
Even after ingesting the Explosive Flame Pill, Lin Xuan's sheer strength and combat acumen still crushed him!
Lin Xuan didn't even glance at the unconscious Zhao Hu. Instead, his gaze jerked towards a spot in the crowd below the ring. There, a sullen, middle-aged man in a gray butler's uniform glared at him with a venomous glare. It was Zhao Kun!
Zhao Kun's face twitched as he saw Lin Xuan looking at him, his eyes brimming with murderous intent. He hadn't expected his nephew, even after taking the Explosive Flame Pill, to be defeated so miserably!
At this moment, a powerful pressure suddenly descended upon the martial arts arena, and a cold voice boomed like thunder:
"Who dares to take banned drugs within the sect?!"
The Law Enforcement Hall elder, his face as sullen as water, descended from the air, accompanied by several powerful Law Enforcement disciples. His gaze first fell on Zhao Hu, who lay unconscious and breathless on the ring.